


Falling For You

by Nicxan



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Blood, Dom/sub, Erections, F/M, Female Reader, Life Debt, Near Death Experiences, Riding, Ritual Sex, Rituals, Sexual Tension, Teasing, Undressing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:55:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25983976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan
Summary: You're at your first ritual, and there's a freak accident with the light. You manage to save Copia's life -- and it changes you forever.
Relationships: Cardinal Copia/Reader
Comments: 28
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> Been wanting to write this request for a while, glad I'm finally getting it done! 
> 
> This is for Ghulehsin on Tumblr/Ao3, a request for a life debt fic! And it was such an interesting idea so I said yes. 
> 
> There will be four chapters total, and there will be an upload once a week for each one. Enjoy!

This was the best night of your entire fucking life.   
  
You couldn’t believe that you were here at a ritual. You were cheering and jumping with the rest of the fans, raising up your arm, eager for the slightest sliver of attention from any members of the band. You squealed when Dew tossed a guitar pick at Aether, when Swiss shimmied his hips, when Cirrus did her Mummy Dust keytar solo ... it was all so damn magical. And you were here to see it.   
  
The moment you bought the tickets, you had been counting down the days. Hell, you even marked it on your calendar, crossing out each square until the day of the ritual. Your friends had called it a waste of a good calendar. You called bullshit. What could be more exciting than seeing Copia in the flesh? Nothing, that’s what. The mere idea of catching Copia’s eye had taken over your dreams, leaving you a useless, flustered mess the following mornings.   
  
It was clear to anyone that knew you that you were excited.   
  
You had peeked at the set list on the internet beforehand; that had told you what was coming next. Some said that ruined the surprise. It just made you even more excited for what was to come. Most of the ghouls had left the stage, leaving only a few people confused. Clearly, they hadn’t seen the guitar battles that Aether and Dew got up to, and they were in for a treat.   
  
The lights flooded your vision and flashed on and off. One shone directly above you -- a blessing and a curse, really. It had been a thorn in your side the whole damn show. But it gave you such a wonderful view of Copia and the ghouls every time they wandered your way. So, you tolerated it. Right now, they were on, the light illuminating the massive stage and the stained glass windows behind the ghouls.   
  
You clung to the rail, leaning forward eagerly to see everything you could from your front row view. You had even managed to land a spot right in the middle -- how, you had no idea, but like hell you were going to question it. It gave you a perfect view of the ensuing guitar battle. They were playing chords back and forth, glancing between the audience and each other. Each riff was more impressive than the last, eventually culminating in an epic solo from Dewdrop.   
  
It was around then you noticed the smoke, and it was around then that Dewdrop began to play the opening notes of Cirice. If you had any sense of composure earlier, it was gone. You lost your goddamn mind with excitement. The way Copia strode forwards in his black suit just murdered you on the spot. The sway of his hips, the way he bounced his leg, the way he held that microphone so lovingly ... it was almost too much. Almost, but not quite.   
  
You screamed the lyrics with the rest of the crowd, jumping and waving your arms in time with the beat. It was almost perfectly matched up. You swore you could see Aether nodding in approval now and again, but didn’t dare to hope for too much. This experience by itself was enough.   
  
_“... Can’t you see that you’re lost?”_ Copia sang. His voice sounded like liquid honey to you -- something wonderful, a sound that couldn’t be compared to anyone or anything else. You smiled softly, leaning forward against the metal bar in front of you. You watched Copia intently as he walked forward on the stage, crouching down ...   
  
_“Can’t you see that you’re lost without me?”_   
  
Then, he held his hand out to you. _You._ Your breath caught in your throat, and you hesitated before reaching out to take the offered hand. Copia was looking at you. He was examining you, he was smiling, he was -- he was --   
  
He gently grasped your hand and rubbed his thumb across your knuckle. You felt your heart hammer in your chest. Your eyes were fixated on his; they were so beautiful, so gorgeous ... captivating. You clutched him tightly, never wanting to let go. This was everything you had ever dreamed of. If only you had your phone out so you could record it!   
  
You don’t exactly recall what happened next.   
  
It started with something simple -- a creak, a snap, you don’t know. Whatever it was, it was loud enough to direct your attention to the top of the stage. You broke eye contact with Copia and ... did you gasp? You probably did. One of the lights hung precariously, dangling from fragile wires. One moment, it hung. The next, it had fallen.   
  
You vaguely heard the cries from the people around you. You could tell that they jumped back from your peripheral vision. Ghouls jumped away from it; Aether pulled Dew away and Rain stumbled backwards, falling flat on his ass. You, however, only had one instinctual reaction: to get Copia out from under that light.   
  
The entire moment was a blur. You remember pulling Copia towards you with strength you didn’t know you had. He stumbled, toppling over the stage and the metal bar. The both of you hit the ground, him using you as a cushion, and the wind was knocked out of you. For a moment, you saw stars. The hard flooring hadn’t exactly given way to a soft landing, after all.   
  
There were some shouts and screams around you, but they sounded almost far away. Copia was above you, on top of you, and he seemed to be in shock himself. He didn’t move a muscle for what felt like eons. Eventually, though, he snapped to, balancing himself on his arms and hovering over you.   
  
You could feel his breath against you, and that’s what finally made you stir properly.   
  
“I -- wh -- what --” He glanced back at the light that had fallen, going through the stage, and then back at you. Copia’s eyes almost looked like saucers with how wide they were, and his arms were trembling. “You -- did you --”   
  
“Yeah,” you breathed out, still in disbelief over what happened.   
  
You both stared at each other, utterly stunned. Copia tried to stumble up, but cried out in pain and fell back on top of you. Having the wind knocked out of you twice wasn’t exactly the plan you had for tonight.   
  
“Oof --!”   
  
“ _Merda_ \-- sorry -- ow! Ow ow ow.” Copia rolled off of you, gasping in agony, hiking up his knee to grab his foot. “Oh, ow --”   
  
Oh, this was going to be a long night. 

* * *

Copia was one of the first people checked when medical personnel arrived. You were, too. It wasn’t too much of a surprise, considering both of you fell onto the floor hard. Aside from some mild back pain, you were cleared relatively quickly. Copia, however, wasn’t quite as lucky.   
  
You could overhear him complain to the EMTs about his foot, how much it hurt, how he was so sure it was broken -- and then his utter shock when he was just told he slammed it on the metal bar too hard and that it would be fine.   
  
“... So it will get better quick, yes? I have other rituals --”   
  
“Give it a couple of days, sir,” said the EMT. She sighed, exasperated. You couldn’t blame her -- if you were talking to Copia right now, you’d be just as agitated. You wanted him to rest! You wanted him to be okay! Hell, it took everything to not rush over and check on him immediately.   
  
“Hey, you all right?”   
  
You jumped and looked back over at Swiss. He was leaning against the metal rail, tail curled around one of the bars. While you could swear that you saw him trembling, he was clearly trying to hide it.   
  
“Oh, fine,” you stammered out. You couldn’t help but glance back over at Copia with a frown on your face. “Just worried about him.”   
  
Swiss scoffed, then chuckled. “Don’t mind him. He’s a drama queen. King. Whatever. He’ll be fine.” The ghoul tilted his head and drummed his fingers on the rail. You could swear that he was regarding you oddly, but you couldn’t parse his expression under the mask. “Thanks for grabbing him, by the way. You saved him.”   
  
“I mean, thanks, but it was just the right thing to do.”   
  
“Even so, you did it. Glad he took your hand.” Swiss smiled, which you could barely see, but you could hear that grin in his voice. “I know he’ll want to thank you later too once he stops whining about his foot.”   
  
The mere idea made you freeze. You felt your heart hammer at a mile a minute. Copia would want to talk to you? Not that you doubted Swiss, but you hadn’t exactly planned on that. Then again, you didn’t plan on pulling a singer offstage to save his life, either. “You think?”   
  
“Remember, I did say that he was a drama king. He’ll want to shower you with thanks,” Swiss replied with a snicker. “But in all seriousness, you literally saved his life. I think he’ll be grateful.” Swiss held out his hand and pulled out a Sharpie from his pocket.   
  
“What is it?” you asked.   
  
“Want me to ‘sign’ anything for you? I’m here, may as well.” He glanced over at Mountain, who was in a corner talking to some other fans. “Figured it’s the least we could do, since ... you know. Canceled ritual on account of falling lights.”   
  
“Oh, uh, yeah! Thanks.” You fished out your phone and handed it to him. “This is all I got.”   
  
“Hey, you’ll have my emblem with you for always,” Swiss joked with a laugh. He scribbled on the back of your phone case, then handed it back to you. You knew better than to put it right back in your pocket, so you flailed around with it for a few moments before doing so. Swiss’ cackling made that much more fun than it should have been.   
  
“Thanks so much!”   
  
“No probl--”   
  
“Excuse me, miss?” You turned to face one of the EMT workers, who looked just as irritated as she had sounded a little while ago. “The gentleman who you pulled off the stage wants to speak with you.”   
  
“Go on, let him get the theatrics out,” Swiss said. He waved his hand casually, then craned his neck to check on the groupies near Mountain. “We’ll be fine over here.”   
  
“If you’re sure.”   
  
“Yep.”   
  
You shot one last look at Swiss, who only nodded his head to encourage you to get going. You did so, nerves gnawing at you the whole time. Each step made your back pain flare up somewhat, but that was easily ignored.   
  
After all, you were going to go directly talk to Copia. Cardinal Copia. The man who you’ve dreamed about for so long --   
  
“Ah, there we are! Hello,” said the Cardinal. He seemed to be noticeably more relaxed. Maybe hearing the news that your foot wasn’t broken would do that to you. You grabbed a chair close to you and pulled it over, sitting down next to him. He had his foot raised on another chair with some ice on it.   
  
Moving wouldn’t be possible for a while.   
  
“Cannot believe I hit my foot on a rail like that,” Copia griped. “But far, far better than a crushing head injury, yes? I do believe so.” He looked over at you, and your snarky reply died in your throat.   
  
“I ...”   
  
“And I believe I have you to thank for that.”   
  
You nodded, unable to contain an ear-to-ear grin.   
  
“Sorry about your foot, though,” you said. You took a second to look it over, that grin fading to as neutral of a face as you could manage. “That must hurt.”   
  
“Oh, yes. And it will hurt much worse tomorrow. But at least I’m here to feel it! That is the important part. That, and I’ll be able to get back to the tour bus when needed.”   
  
You had never heard Copia’s voice so close before; it felt far different from what you had expected. His tone was so soft, so nervous -- so anxious. Yet, here he was, trying to sound at ease for presumably your benefit. _‘He’s sweet.’_   
  
“I will say that I’m sorry that it ended like that.” You looked over to the ruined stage once more, wincing at the sight of the hole. It was where Copia once stood, right before you pulled him away. “I was enjoying the show before, if that helps.”   
  
“Oh, yes, yes! Yes, I love hearing that.” Copia grasped your hand and shook it firmly. “I could tell you were. You were very enthusiastic.”   
  
“So that’s why I got Cirice’d, then?” you asked. You didn’t want him to let go of your hand. Even gloved, it was so warm, so soft, and it was such a tender touch ... you swallowed, willing Copia to hold onto your hand just a bit longer. Unfortunately, he pulled his hand back.   
  
“Yep.”   
  
“Well, good choice,” you quipped, snickering. “I mean, for obvious reasons.”   
  
Copia didn’t respond immediately. He shifted on his seat, turning to face you directly. He once again took your hand, gripping it much tighter this time around. You glanced up at him, somewhat bewildered, and willed down butterflies.   
  
“You know, I don’t think you realize that you saved my life,” he said. His voice had grown serious; you shivered at the sudden change, biting your tongue to not make any stupid noises. “I am grateful to you and in your debt. Thank you. Truly, thank you.”   
  
“It ... it was nothing,” you replied, truly at a loss for words. “Really.”   
  
“Oh, no, no! It was quite something. If nothing else, I would at least like to offer you a tour of backstage and the busses, yes? We will have to be very courteous to the ghouls, some are rather shaken --”   
  
“I can’t blame them.”   
  
“-- but I will try to make it as good of a reward as possible. Now ...” Copia tried to hop back up, but immediately regretted it. You could tell at the yelp of pain and the way that he promptly sat back down, defeated. “... Damn it.”   
  
“Need some help there, Cardinal?”   
  
“If you wouldn’t mind.”   
  
You weren’t sure how well you could hold him up, but you decided that you’d try your best. You stepped next to him, crouching down so he could wrap an arm around your shoulders. This time, he was able to stand, but you could only focus on keeping your balance -- and how warm he felt when this close to you.   
  
“Lead the way.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get a special, exclusive VIP tour of backstage.

“This way!” Copia pointed towards the edge of the stage. You began to walk as slowly as possible, checking every other second to be sure that he wasn’t putting pressure on his hurt foot.   
  
Tonight was already surreal enough, but the fact that you were holding Cardinal Copia this close just seemed even stranger. You weren’t going to complain, though. This was a night you’d remember, easily.   
  
It was somewhat awkward at first. Other fans were glaring at you as you escorted the Cardinal to the other side of the stage where Mountain stood. There was an entrance to the back there, apparently. Not surprising, but infuriating that it was on the other side of the damn room. You maneuvered through a group of oblivious fans.   
  
“Ah, yes, no, sorry!” Copia began to say to the small crowd. “Can’t stay, have to get back on a seat. Hurt feet are fucking annoying! So sorry! I’ll see you another time!”   
  
It wasn’t quite enough to get all of them to back off, but any fan with an iota of sense moved away at this point. Mountain herded the rest away from the two of you, leaving you and Copia as free as birds.   
  
Well, mostly.  
  
“And we go up the ... oh. Shoot. Stairs.”   
  
“Yeah, we’ll have to be careful here. Sure there isn’t a ramp?”  
  
“Not here, no.”  
  
“That’s a violation of so many codes.”  
  
Copia was clearly embarrassed by how long it took to get up some stairs. You were sure to steady him every step of the way. You weren’t oblivious to his adorable blush, nor were you oblivious to how he clung to you as he navigated the steps. You bit your tongue to stop a snarky remark, instead choosing to just stay silent on the way up.  
  
Just having the Cardinal take your hand was enough to fulfill all of your fantasies. Having him actually cling to you was something you hadn’t even dared to dream of, and yet here you were. His grip was so tight, so firm -- and his panting from the exertion ...   
  
You fought back some illicit thoughts, cursing yourself for each and every one of them. Now wasn’t the time!  
  
“Okie dokie, one more ...”   
  
“Yep, last one.”   
  
Copia’s relief was palpable. You smiled as he made it over to flat ground. He leaned against you again and let out a content sigh.   
  
“Now, if we go back here, we’ll get to the dressing room.”  
  
Wait. Dressing room? Your face burned, the heat threatening to just outright set you on fire. He had mentioned a VIP tour, but it wasn’t like -- oh, forget it. You weren’t going to complain. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity!   
  
You followed his instructions, but it was a long walk. Copia wasn’t content to just let you marinate in the moment, and instead began to chatter like no tomorrow.   
  
“So how long have you been a fan?” he asked. You could feel his eyes on you now and again, but every time you looked back, he had resumed looking down at his feet. “Of the band, I mean.”   
  
“Damn, and here I thought you were asking how long I’d been a fan of you,” you retorted with a laugh. He stammered at this, and you laughed even harder. “Didn’t think you’d be that easy to fluster.”   
  
“I just didn’t expect it!”   
  
“Sure, sure.” You rounded a corner carefully, gripping Copia tightly. “I’ve been a fan for a few years now? This was my first ritual, though.”   
  
“I’m so glad you enjoyed it! That means a lot,” Copia replied. “I hope it was everything you dreamed of.”  
  
 _‘That and more,’_ you thought. You bit your tongue to keep quiet otherwise. Right now, he needed to get to the dressing room. You were relieved when he started talking again to fill the silence.   
  
“So this is where we go before the show starts, just to have a sort of team meeting. Like in football.” Copia snorted. “Though I think rituals take more effort than football sometimes. But anyway, drinks are back here too, mostly water, though Dew likes energy drinks. Why, I don’t know ...”   
  
By the time you reached the dressing room, you had been given the entire rundown on how he starts his rituals. The makeup application, the meetings with the ghouls, the vocal warmups ... everything. Hell, he even mentioned stretches.   
  
“So you did take some sort of ballet, then?” you asked. “You pulled off some good moves in that music video, so ...”  
  
“Eeeeh, for a while?” Copia replied. “Only for a few years. But the stretches do really help. So yes! Yes.”   
  
You had reached his dressing room door. It was as cliched as they came -- there was a golden star on the front of it, and it read ‘COPIA’ in big, bold letters. You almost had to laugh.   
  
“And here we are! Should be unlocked ...”   
  
He tested the doorknob, and when it gave way, he proudly opened the door to -- a very, very minimal dressing room. You were almost shocked for a moment, but then recalled how few outfits he wore onstage. It wasn’t too much of a surprise to see only a few copies of the same suits up against the wall.   
  
The full body mirror, however, was very grand. Not too much of a surprise -- he probably needed that to check his clothes and style his hair, and get the makeup on. There was a desk mirror for that purpose and a makeup station, and that was all.   
  
Well, that and chairs. Chairs that Copia hobbled over to immediately. He collapsed on the closest one to the door. He splayed out his legs, giving way -- oh dear Jesus. He had an erection. You could see the tent plainly in his pants.   
  
“Oh, finally.” He paused, then looked up at you. “Thank you very much for your help.”   
  
“You’re -- you’re welcome,” you choked out. You averted your eyes from between his legs and made yourself busy by grabbing another chair. You pulled it over and propped his foot up onto it. “There, that should help.”  
  
“That it does. Thank you. Again.” Copia chuckled. “How many times am I going to do that tonight?”  
  
“Don’t know, but I like it. Keep it up.” You laughed, but it was awkward and forced. You kept your eyes on ... the mirror, this time. Yes, the mirror was a good idea. You’d focus on that instead of the tent in Copia’s suit pants. He probably wouldn’t want you to notice anyways.   
  
... Wait a second. There was a hole in the bottom of the pant legs. Was that when he got pulled over?   
  
“Uh, Copia? You got a rip here.”   
  
“ _Merda!_ ” he spat. “I was afraid of that, I thought something got caught --” He leaned over to check, and then let out a string of Italian curses when he saw that you were right. Honestly, it was sort of impressive how long he went on with it. The suit must cost a lot of money.   
  
“What an insult to injury! Quite literally.”  
  
“I’m more worried about you tripping on it, actually,” you offered. “Can you get out of those?”  
  
“Ehh, I do hate to ask, but ...” Copia cleared his throat. “I am not going to be able to change out of them alone. More tripping would be bad, yes? So.”   
  
Fuck. Fuck fuck _fuck._ Fuck. He was right, and you hated and loved it all at the same time. You glanced at his erection again, against your will, then cleared your throat.   
  
“Um, shoes first,” you mumbled. You could focus on the shoes. That’d be fine. You worked one of them off easily enough and tossed it aside, but the other one wasn’t giving way nearly as easily. _‘Shit, his foot must be swelling up.’_   
  
“Got any other shoes?” you asked. “If I get this one off, it’s not going back on unless I loosen the shoelaces.”   
  
“Nope.”  
  
“Figures.” You sighed and pulled off the other shoe after some considerable effort. It took everything you had to not yelp in shock at how badly his foot had swelled up. But you couldn’t distract yourself from the ‘main event’ at this point.   
  
“Uh, Copia, you can at least unzip your own pants.”  
  
“Oh! Uh. Right. Yes. Of course. Okie.” Copia’s flush deepened -- had he really forgotten that he can unzip his own damn zipper? Not that you could be too mean about it; you had forgotten too for a little bit. You tactfully averted your gaze when you heard the zipper, then fully turned away when you heard some shuffling.   
  
There was a dull thud from behind you.   
  
“Ow!”   
  
“Careful with your foot!”  
  
“Sorry!”   
  
You were going to explode. Copia was undressing right next to you, and -- wait, you could be useful. You didn’t have to dwell on this right now. You could just grab him a new pair of pants for his black suit.   
  
“Hey, uh, I can grab the replacement if you want.”  
  
“Please.”   
  
So, your night also included actually touching Copia’s suits and flicking them to the side to get to the black suit pants. Who knew? Not you. You brought the pants over without making a big deal about it, but nearly froze on the spot.   
  
He had managed to kick his pants off, thankfully enough, but that erection hadn’t gone anywhere. If anything, it only got worse. You swore you could see it twitch beneath his plain boxers. Fuck, this was killing you.   
  
“Here,” you muttered as you basically threw his pants at him. Copia yelped as the pant legs smacked him on the face, and he fumbled to grab them so they didn’t fall on the ground.   
  
“Did you have to toss them like that?”   
  
“Could’ve handed them to you on a silver platter if I had one, but I don’t, that’s the best you get.”   
  
Copia flushed darker and silently put on his pants. You helped in what ways you could -- specifically making sure that he was careful when getting the fabric over his swollen foot. When he arched his hips, though, that damned erection was even close to you. You exhaled softly, covering your mouth and praying that he didn’t notice you this compromised.   
  
“Uh ... s-so ... pretty glamorous, huh?” you stammered out.   
  
“You could say that,” Copia mumbled. “Normally, though, I don’t have a hurt foot.”  
  
You made a grab for his shoes and handed one of them to him. Thankfully, he was able to get that one on with no trouble. You worked at the laces on his other shoe, cursing Copia for not having a pair of damn slippers or something. That would make this so much easier.   
  
“All right, now _stay still_ ,” you said sternly. “This is going to suck, but moving will make it worse.”  
  
“Okie dokie.”   
  
It wasn’t as much of a chore as you had expected. With the laces loosened, it was actually relatively easy to get it on. You quickly tied it up for him, then sat back on the ground with a heavy sigh.   
  
“There you go. All set.”   
  
The tension could be cut with a knife. Copia knew that you had seen his rock-hard erection. You knew that you had seen it. Quite frankly, there was no coming back from that. You both glanced at each other, then away. This happened multiple times.   
  
“So ... uh, what do you think of the suits?”  
  
It was a terrible attempt at conversation, but it was better than nothing.   
  
“They look nice,” you replied. “I mean, they all fit you well, so ... must be pretty hot to perform in, though.”  
  
“Yes, yes.”  
  
More awkward silence. You cleared your throat.   
  
“So ... any other spots in the grand VIP tour? Or, uh ...”   
  
“Now that we’re done with the ... uh, extensive look in here, yes. We can move on.” Copia forced a smile on his face, an awkward, pained one. But he was much more efficient getting on his feet this time, and he had much better balance overall. The only downside was that he didn’t need to lean on you as much.  
  
“Busses are this way!” he chirped. “Now, like I said before, we will have to be very courteous to the ghouls, as they’re --”  
  
“Rattled, I know,” you finished with a smile. “Yeah, wouldn’t dream of being rude about it. They’ve been through a lot. I don’t have to meet them. Just seeing your bus would be cool.”   
  
“Well, then, uh ... sure!”   
  
Wait. Had that come across as something more than you intended? You weren’t going to complain if so, but seeing his face get even redder out of the corner of your eye was really something else. At this rate, his scalp was going to blush, too.   
  
You couldn’t help what came out next. “Would be nice to see where you get to unwind and relax,” you purred. “Get to _destress_.”  
  
“Uh -- uh --” 

Yep, there it was. Copia’s scalp had gone bright red. You weren’t going to tease him anymore, but it was worth it to get to this point.   
  
“Anyway, uh -- yes, so, down this way, down the ramp, it’s where our busses are, they’re, uh ... spacious. Yes. Very spacious.”   
  
“Is it just you in a bus, or?”   
  
“No, I share it with the ghouls.” Copia used his free hand to open the door to the outside. A rush of cold air hit your face; it was surprisingly pleasant. You sighed softly, reveling in the fresh night air and the lights of the city.   
  
The two of you ambled down the ramp at a leisurely pace. Copia was enjoying the atmosphere just as much as you were; you could tell by his much less awkward smile and the way he seemed to relax against you as you moved.   
  
There seemed to be three busses in total -- not surprising, considering how much crew they must have. They were also massive in size. You stared in awe for a moment before being forcibly led down to the end of the ramp by Copia.   
  
“Mine is the one in the back,” he explained. “People assume I am in the front, but it’s quite different, yes? Safer that way.”   
  
The two of you maneuvered through the set crew and house techs to get to Copia’s bus. Copia seemed rather preoccupied with his pockets for the time being; you didn’t quite understand why. When he got to the door, he knocked on it politely.   
  
“Hello?” he called. “Anyone in there? I need to get in, if you please. VIP tour for my savior here.”   
  
“Oh, knock it off,” you teased. You nudged him as carefully as possible.   
  
“I mean, uh ...”   
  
“I was kidding, don’t worry.”   
  
The door pulled open. Rain poked his head out in a way that hid the interior of the tour bus from you. From what you could see of him, the poor thing was absolutely shaken. He tilted his head to Copia.   
  
“Tour?” he asked in a soft, melodic voice. “For who?”   
  
“For the one who saved me from the falling light. We’ll be quick, I promise.” Copia paused, then glanced over his shoulder. “This is, uh ...”   
  
You raised an eyebrow.   
  
“I don’t actually know your name,” Copia admitted rather sheepishly.   
  
“Maybe I’ll tell it to you later,” you joked. “Not sure if I’m impressed enough yet with the tour.”   
  
“Bah! Fine. I’ll make this wonderful, just so I can know your name.”   
  
Rain reluctantly stepped out of the tour bus. You felt bad for a moment, but then were relieved when he just rushed over to Swiss. You hadn’t even seen Swiss over here, but that was the benefit of blending in.   
  
“Now, inside. I will be able to handle these stairs.”   
  
“Thank goodness. I’d be worried if you couldn’t handle three of them.” You rushed up the stairs before Copia could respond, giggling to yourself the way up.   
  
When you got to the front, your jaw nearly dropped.   
  
The inside of it looked sleek as hell. A dark red color covered the walls, which went amazingly well with the black leather couches. Was ... was that a minibar with cabinets above it? Was that a table in the back with two booths? There was so much crammed in here that you couldn’t even begin to process everything all at once.   
  
“It’s something else, no?” Copia asked. You hadn’t heard him come up; you were too busy taking in the sight before you. You turned to face him; you’re pretty sure that your eyes were still bugged out. “We only want the best.”   
  
“And you got it, holy shit.”   
  
You helped Copia over to the booth and provided a shoulder for him so he could balance on you. He slid into the booth, carefully propping his foot up on the other side. You moved to sit across from him, but --   
  
“Ah, no no, here’s fine.” Copia patted the open part of his booth. “If you’re okay with it.”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
You tried to ignore the heat that rushed back to your cheeks as you sat next to Copia.   
  
“We like the red walls,” he said. “Reminds us of home, yes? Well, me, at least. My room is painted dark red.”   
  
“Huh, so you get homesick?”   
  
“Sometimes.” Copia tilted his head up to look at the roof of the bus. It was the first time tonight that he looked almost sad. “Definitely missing it tonight. The ghouls and humans that run the medical wing would have been much more compassionate than _those_ people.”   
  
“You have a medical wing?”   
  
“Oh, of course! We have all sorts of wings. Our abbey is massive. We have grounds, a garden set up by the first Papa himself, a dining hall, a library ... that, and more. Anything you could need or want.”   
  
You went silent.   
  
“... Anything, huh?” you asked quietly. “It sounds like a good place.”   
  
You didn’t even want to ask the obvious question. Well, obvious to you, at least. You had been desperate to escape this shithole for eons -- it had been the one thing keeping you going at your awful job. It was the reason you wanted this escape so badly tonight, why you just dove headfirst into it -- anything and everything to get away what constituted your day-to-day routine.   
  
Fuck, how many times had you almost been evicted? How many times did you eat crappy food because you couldn’t afford a nice meal out and had to resort to ramen? How many times did you wish for something else, anything else, to come along and whisk you away?   
  
And why did you dare to hope that that was happening now?   
  
Copia noticed your silence and tilted his head. “Are you all right?”   
  
“Fine,” you mumbled. “Just sounds a lot better than here.”   
  
“You don’t like it here?”   
  
“Not at all.” You shifted in your seat and leaned forward, resting your chin on your fists. You didn’t even bother looking in Copia’s direction. “No friends, no family, stuck in a shitty job that barely lets me pay rent ...”   
  
You trailed off, then sighed deeply, like the weight of the world was on your shoulders. Fuck, you hadn’t wanted to think about this tonight. “Sorry, didn’t mean to dump that on you. It’s just not great here for me. It probably is for others.”   
  
Copia didn’t say anything. For a moment, you worried that you had scared him with your problems. That you weren’t the fan that saved him anymore, but just another whiny bitch who didn’t appreciate what she had.   
  
He didn’t give off that air, though. He didn’t seem like that kind of person. So you weren’t surprised when he asked, “Do you want to come live with us?”   
  
Even so, you were still shocked. You swiveled your head towards Copia, eyes bugging out of your head. “That easily?”   
  
“Why not?”   
  
“We just met.”   
  
Copia tapped his chin, then shrugged.   
  
“While that may be true, you clearly are a good person. You care about the band, I can tell, and on top of that, you saved me tonight. That’s worth quite a bit. And if you have nothing tying you here, why not? That’s my opinion. And as Cardinal, my opinion’s, uh ... worth a bit more than other people’s. At least in this case.”   
  
You hummed thoughtfully to yourself. It was a pretty tempting offer, admittedly. You really didn’t have anything tying you here, like he said. And if the abbey really was that great, then maybe ... maybe it would be better to live there.   
  
“I’m not exactly practicing.”   
  
“That’s fine,” Copia said. “You’d be expected to participate in the initiation ritual, but we take in people who need it. I made sure that tradition continues.”   
  
“... Thank you.” You exhaled deeply, feeling some of that weight lift off of your shoulders. “I’d need help with the plane ticket.”   
  
“We can do that.”   
  
“Would need some outfits --”   
  
“Provided for you.”   
  
You finally cracked. “Look, that’s so much. Are you sure?”   
  
Copia gently took your hands, just as he did during Cirice. He squeezed them gently, soothingly. It was enough to get you to look over at Copia.   
  
His eyes sparkled with compassion, with a grave understanding that you wish you didn’t recognize. He looked so soft, so ... understanding. You swallowed a lump in your throat, fighting back tears.   
  
“Without you, there would not be a Cardinal for this church,” Copia said softly. “If there’s anything you want -- anything at all -- I will make it happen. I owe that to you.”   
  
“Please get me out of here,” you pleaded. “Please.”   
  
“We can do that.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're adjusting to life in the abbey when you get a summon from Sister Imperator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE I'M PUTTING UP BOTH CHAPTERS TONIGHT ENJOY

Copia hadn’t lied to you -- after you gave him your information, a plane ticket was booked for Italy almost instantaneously. You had cried in your dinky little apartment when you got the email. You didn’t have much to pack, which was both a blessing and a curse, and you hightailed it out of the apartment for the last time at about four in the morning.    
  
You had been worried about leaving so suddenly -- you had told Copia that -- but he assured that it would all be taken care of. You wanted to believe him so badly that you just let it go. It wasn’t like your neighbors would miss you.    
  
The trip over had been excruciating. Sure, Copia had gotten you the best seat possible for the short timeframe he had, but it was still an overnight flight on a plane. You were antsy, restless, and really sick of the person next to you that kept trying to talk to you. All you wanted was to just pass out and wake up when you could land and start your new life.    
  
It was a long drive over, too. There was someone waiting for you at the gate, and you nearly passed out from exhaustion once you got into the luxurious car. But staying up was worth it. The views were absolutely wonderful; you couldn’t look away from the city as it faded into rolling hills and mountains. Everything was so green and vibrant -- definitely a change from the grungy city that you came from.   
  
Once you saw the abbey in the distance, your breath caught in your throat. It was so ...  _ beautiful. _ It was an old building, yet maintained so wonderfully that you could only tell its age due to the way it was constructed. It had sharp peaks, amazing stone walls, and it had a lake nearby. You saw a lot of people over there as you were driven in.    
  
It had all blurred together at this point. You remembered being warmly welcomed by two women in habits and outfits that reminded you of nuns. You had been led in, shown to your room, and told to get comfortable. You were expected to read up on their beliefs, attend sermons, and just ...  _ exist _ for a while before the initiation ceremony.    
  
Copia hadn’t been there for any of it. You were more disappointed than expected about that, but he was still touring. It made sense. You still felt his absence even as you wandered through the library for the first time, even as one of the Sisters of Sin gave you a tour through the gardens. The one who gave sermons was an older Papa -- Papa Emeritus the Second. It was interesting to see how he preached, sure, but it still wasn’t Copia.   
  
It would’ve been better with him there.    
  
Weeks passed. Slowly, you got used to your new normal. You fell into a routine, one that was comfortable for you. You’d start your day with some stretches, read up on Lucifer and what he expected of His disciples, eat breakfast, walk through the garden ... and then rush to your computer to look up clips of the last concert Copia had been at.    
  
Sure, it wasn’t the best ritual to have. But his absence hurt so much. This was the only way to alleviate it, at least for now. You’d just watch him doing what he did best, despite his hurt foot. Had that healed by now? You hoped so. Then again, there’s no way he’d be able to do what he was doing if it was hurting. Those spins, those jumps, riding his damn tricycle onto the stage ...    
  
Fuck, you missed him.    
  
Talks of your initiation ritual became more and more frequent over the weeks. Friends you made insisted on being there. You were suspicious of their bashful giggles and the way they blushed when they mentioned the initiation ritual. You had an inkling as to why, but you didn’t dare ask. Every time you had tried to get answers, they’d been frustratingly coy with information.    
  
Eventually, you had to start preparing for it. So, when you were summoned to see Sister Imperator, you weren’t  _ too _ surprised. It was inevitable that someone in the clergy would discuss this with you. Still, it sure as hell felt the fear of Satan in you. People always had spoken about Sister Imperator in terrified whispers or absolute fear-induced adoration. You weren’t too eager to meet her.    
  
In fact, come to think of it, you hadn’t seen Sister Imperator since your arrival. You had been taken care of by people who specialized in these things. You had hoped that it would be the same here, but apparently you were wrong. You had apparently done something to catch her attention, and you didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.   
  
The ghoul escorting you to her office was completely silent, which didn’t help matters. She kept her arms behind her back, posture straight, looking forward the whole time. She never broke her stride, nor did she even glance back at you. You just followed silently, knowing better than to try and strike up a conversation.    
  
Why was Imperator suddenly interested in you? You hadn’t exactly done anything aside from read, mingle, and learn the layout of the abbey. No one knew of what you had done for Copia and no one bothered to ask. They had treated you just like any other new person, which was sort of a relief.   
  
Your blood ran cold when you reached her office door. The ghoul stepped aside, bowed her head, and directed for you to knock. So, you did.    
  
“Enter.”    
  
You glanced at the ghoul helplessly, hoping for something like a ‘good luck’ or a ‘knock them dead’ -- anything. But she remained silent. With a sigh, you pushed open the door.    
  
Sister’s office was immaculate. It was massive in size, which was good; she needed the space for the ungodly amount of bookshelves that she had. They were packed with folders, with books, with files and stacks of paperwork. You almost felt ill at the mere idea of doing that much paperwork; how did she do it?    
  
Her desk was a beautiful cherry oak, with a dark, plush chair behind it. She sat in it now, not even looking up at you. Instead, she was writing at a furiously quick pace, not even pausing to acknowledge you.   
  
“Sit.”   
  
Well, okay, then. Not _ initially _ acknowledging you, then. Your eyes darted around for a moment, trying to find a seat -- and then you noticed a couch in front of her desk, placed far away enough where whoever she had summoned wouldn’t have to breathe on her. At least, that’s what you assumed.    
  
You took your place on the couch. The silence was stifling, suffocating -- you were going to scream if she didn’t say something soon. But Imperator kept writing. It felt like forever before she finally set down her pen to look at you.    
  
“You’re the one that saved the Cardinal at the show,” she said plainly.   
  
“How did you --”    
  
“He reported it to me before your arrival,” she replied. She steepled her hands together and leaned back in her seat, her eyes on you the entire time. You shifted uncomfortably in your seat. “He asked me to give you some extra time to settle in, which I agreed to. But it’s about time for you to think about your initiation.”    
  
You didn’t even hesitate with your response. “Yes, I want to do it.”    
  
Imperator looked unimpressed. She hummed to herself. She never broke her stare, and you were pretty sure that she hadn’t blinked yet. Fuck, what was this woman’s deal?    
  
“You do realize that means you’ll have to start doing some work around here,” she began. “Tasks you might not enjoy, at times. You’ll be working hard, not just lazing about like you have been. You have to earn your keep here.”    
  
“I understand.”   
  
“You have ...” Imperator paused. Her face looked like she had just sucked a lemon. “... my thanks for saving him from that light. If we had lost him, it would have devastated the church. However, it won’t grant you any special boons after your initiation. This is not typically how we treat newcomers, and I don’t want you getting used to it. Are we clear?”   
  
You knew better than to argue. “Yes, Sister.”    
  
“There’s just one more thing.” Sister sighed heavily and shook her head. “The Cardinal wishes to be the one to ...  _ consummate _ the initiation during the private portion of the ritual. If you were anyone else, I would say no. But he insists.”    
  
Your heart hammered in your chest. Copia had requested to ... oh, Jesus. Well, Lucifer, if you were going to be initiated here. A surge of arousal shot through you, leaving you nearly trembling in your seat. Sister’s cold, harsh gaze quelled the fire.    
  
“Your uniforms and habits will be given to you after the ritual. A set of robes will be left at your door tonight. You’re to wear them to your initiation in a week. Keep them in pristine condition.”   
  
“Yes, Sister.” Those words weren’t going to be real words in a few months; you’d be repeating them so often. You were sure of it.    
  
“That will be all.”    
  
Wow, you weren’t even given the chance to ask any questions. Somehow, you weren’t surprised. You simply nodded, rose from your seat, and just walked out without a word. You had a feeling that Sister wouldn’t want to hear anything from you, anyway.    
  
So, you reentered the hall, nearly shaking like a leaf with the anticipation that you felt.   
  
Next week couldn’t come soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have the public portion of the ritual, and then the ... more private portion.

It was finally the day.    
  
You weren’t going to lie: you were nervous. Of course you were. This was going to be a massive change for you. While you still weren’t quite sure if you believed as wholeheartedly as others did, you had read enough to where you could see the good in it. Now, you were committing to it.    
  
The list of demands was a bit wilder than you had initially expected, but it was a big moment. You weren’t even going to entertain disobeying them. Sure, it sucked to fast after breakfast, but it was manageable. Not talking to anyone? Annoying, but doable. Not allowed to get off a week beforehand? Horrible, but fine. Being stuck in your room all day, however, wasn’t your idea of a good time. At the rate you were pacing around, you’d wear a hole in the rug.    
  
The robes were still draped over your chair. You had looked at them quite often in the past week. They were pitch black and trimmed with blood red lace at the edges. The hood was massive and was going to cover your entire damn face, you just knew it. At least they were soft to the touch, though.    
  
As much as you wanted to put them on, you hadn’t been allowed to until today. Come to think of it, with the ritual coming up, it might be best to get them on now. You reached out for them, but paused. You had been instructed to wear nothing underneath, so it brushed up against your bare skin in a most tantalizing way. The instruction on what not to wear wasn’t too surprising, considering what Copia had planned for you ...    
  
_ “... He wants to ... consummate ...” _   
  
The thought always sent shivers down your spine. Even with your built-up tension over the course of the VIP tour, you still hadn’t anticipated it actually happening. Yet, here you were, preparing for an initiation ritual where he’d fuck you at the end.    
  
You stripped bare, carelessly tossing your clothes and undergarments to the side. The silky smooth feeling of the robes made it easy to slip them on. Much to your annoyance, the hood went down far enough to cover your eyes. You pushed it back and adjusted it as needed.    
  
Your mind, however, was not on that task. All you could think about right now was Copia.    
  
He had looked so damned good. Fuck, that erection was haunting your dreams. He had been so sweet when you teased him, too -- you could imagine his little awkward sounds, the way he stammered, how red his cheeks had been ... 

  
Fuck, if you weren’t careful, you were going to stain the inside of these robes. You took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to calm yourself down. Hell, you even slapped your own face on both sides to snap yourself out of the daydream you were lost in.    
  
While that was a lot of fun to think about and made the time pass, it wasn’t wise. All that _ was _ wise was sitting on that chair twiddling your thumbs. You had already been waiting for hours, but now you were probably going to wait for hours in style. These sorts of things didn’t happen until it was nighttime, right? If so, they had better bring you a meal soon. Breakfast wasn’t going to sustain you for much longer.    
  
It felt like forever before there was a knock at the door. You jolted up and rushed to stand. “Who is it?” you called.    
  
“Your escort,” came an unfamiliar voice from the other side. “Are you ready?”   
  
“Um, yes --”   
  
“Then come out.”   
  
Wait, so it  _ wasn’t _ at night? Why had no one given you a time frame? Did they  _ want  _ to keep you on your toes? You shrugged off your frustration; it was pointless. It would be done the way they wanted it to be. Good thing you got your robes on when you did, though.    
  
You opened the door, and you were taken aback. The same ghoul that had guided you to Sister Imperator’s office stood in front of your room now, looking as prim and proper as she did last time. She looked you up and down, and then nodded in approval.    
  
“Very good. No shoes on, either?”   
  
You hiked up your robes just enough so that she could see your bare feet.    
  
“Instructions said nothing on underneath, so I took it literally.”   
  
“Perfect. Follow me.”    
  
She turned on her heel and began to walk. You, once again, followed her without a word.    
  
The halls you walked down were completely empty. That was strange; normally people would be enjoying the sunshine or doing work or ... something. They hadn’t all just vanished overnight, so where had they gone?   
  
The stone floor felt so cold against your feet. Every now and again, you would jump, flinching. The ghoul didn’t even seem to care about your mild discomfort. Then again, how could she even notice when she never even looked back? The ghoul rounded the corner, and you dutifully followed her lead.    
  
You were shocked upon the sight of a place you had never noticed before. This little nook seemed a lot wider than the other T hallways you had seen. How did it escape your notice? The ghoul in front of you opened a massive wooden door, ushering you to go inside.    
  
You were greeted by the most massive room you had ever seen.    
  
There were no words for how  _ enormous _ this place was. The walls seemed to be lined with actual gold, contrasting against the black marble. It spread from floor to ceiling, shining so beautifully that it nearly made your eyes hurt.    
  
The walls were adorned with numerous banners - one red, one green, one purple. All of them were elaborate and detailed; you could only imagine how much work went into the detailing of them. The one that caught your eye the most, however, was the plain black banner hung in front of you. It rested in the dead center of the back wall. It didn’t shine like the rest of the black, so it stuck out like a sore thumb.    
  
It was then that you noticed the balconies on either side of the room. There were three tiers of them, and all of them were lined with people.  _ ‘That explains where they went,’ _ you thought. Shit, you hadn’t realized that everyone was going to be watching! It explained the staircases on the sides of the room, too. Jes -- Lucifer, this was beyond anything you could have ever imagined.   
  
You expected the massive pentagram on the ground, so you had that much going for you. What you  _ didn’t _ expect was the massive claw-footed bathtub right in the center of it. It was a pristine white and was completely empty. It was also surrounded by more prestigious looking Sisters of Sin. You couldn’t even see their faces.   
  
You stood there for a few moments, confused. If it showed on your face, no one seemed to care. Their absolute silence and stillness was actually pretty unnerving -- so much so that it rooted you to the spot. The ghoul that had guided you to this room nudged you forward, and you took a few hesitant steps. You only made it as far as the edge of the pentagram.   
  
One Sister of Sin stepped closer. Her robes were more immaculate than yours were; pitch black with blood red lace trimming all of the edges. She wore a massive grucifix on a necklace, giving the outfit a dash of silver. You didn’t expect her to open her arms to you in a wide, sweeping motion.    
  
There was one thing nagging at you, though -- Copia was nowhere to be found. You looked around again, just to be sure, but he didn’t appear to be in the room. Wasn’t he supposed to be in charge of these things?   
  
“We gather here today to celebrate our newest initiate,” she called out to the room. “May she find peace in Lucifer’s light and find purpose doing His work!”    
  
A chorus of  _ ‘Nema’ _ rang through the room.   
  
“Disrobe,” she commanded.    
  
You initially hesitated -- you hadn’t been naked in front of a massive group of people before. The notion was daunting, to say the least. But they didn’t see it as a big deal, right? Besides, you had to. This meant getting to see Copia. So, you pulled off the robes and set them down on the floor. When the prestigious Sister of Sin beckoned you forward, you obeyed.    
  
“You will be baptized in this,” she whispered. You were so certain that people were still going to hear it with the way it echoed, but you tried to pay no mind. “Step inside.”    
  
You shot her a skeptical look, but nodded and followed instructions. The tub was cold to the touch and you found yourself shivering as you settled in. Why did you have to be totally naked for this? The Sisters closed in around you, obscuring your vision of the balconies full of people. All you could see -- all you could focus on -- was them.    
  
And one of them was holding some kind of large pitcher. When you listened carefully, you could hear liquid moving around inside of it. What was that? Water?   
  
“We cleanse you of past influences,” the Sister boomed.   
  
Then, the pitcher was tipped over -- you saw the blood as it splashed against the white of the tub, and then it was poured over you. You yelped in surprise and at how cold the blood was, but you didn’t dare to say anything.    
  
“Your path will be clear and true -- forward towards the shining light of the Olde One and all of His demons. You will serve Them, and in return, you will be protected and guided.”    
  
“Say nema,” a different Sister whispered to you.    
  
“Nema,” you said loudly.    
  
You had done your part, apparently. The Sisters around you didn’t ask for anything else; all they did was rub in the blood, muttering something in a language you couldn’t understand. It vaguely sounded like Latin, but you weren’t completely sure of that. You stayed completely still and let them do what they needed to, shifting around awkwardly when they got close to your breasts. They tactfully avoided them, at least.    
  
“You are anointed. Your life is now dedicated to The Olde One in all ways -- any obstacles holding you back spiritually have been destroyed.” Well, that sounded ominous. “You are free to reach enlightenment, to walk your illuminated path.”   
  
Wait, was this seriously it? All of this spectacle for a literal blood bath? You stared up at the main Sister, a bit confused, but you couldn’t deny that you felt ... freer. Like you finally belonged to this strange abbey. You smiled despite yourself.    
  
“Welcome to the church.”    
  
She held out a hand to you, and you took it without a second thought.    


* * *

You were so relieved that you got a shower after that. You had to beg and plead for it, considering everything, but they acquiesced. You didn’t want dried, caked blood on your or in your hair during your time with Copia.   
  
The robes seemed fine -- you were required to wear them for the private portion of the initiation, too -- but you couldn’t help but check them over and over just to be sure. It wouldn’t matter if they had a bit of red on them. Hopefully, Copia wouldn’t be looking at that.   
  
Fuck, it was just about time. You couldn’t wait.   
  
The ghoul you knew so well by now waited patiently as you put your robes back on. You didn’t know how long she was standing outside of the showers, but it was best to just not ask questions about her at this point.   
  
“Are you ready?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.   
  
You pulled back the hood so it didn’t fall down on your face. “Yeah. I am.”  
  
“Excellent. Copia awaits you in his chambers.” She paused. “... Admittedly, a first. But I would take that as a high compliment.”  
  
That was the most words that you’d heard her string together before. It took you a moment to process what she said, but it made your cheeks heat up. He hadn’t done this before? Well, didn’t you feel special.   
  
You fell in line behind the ghoul and followed her. The path wasn’t as long as the last one; she just went up some stairs, you followed, and the room was surprisingly close. Third door on the left, actually. Maybe these were his private chambers, rather than his office ...? The door wasn’t even marked. You assumed that was for privacy reasons.   
  
The ghoul knocked on the door, then walked away. Here you thought that she’d stay with you and watch -- she had been hovering that much. But you were left alone, clad in only robes, standing in front of Copia’s door.   
  
“Come in! I -- uh -- yes. Enter.”   
  
Your heart seized when you heard his voice. This was the first time you’d heard him in what felt like eons. You hesitated before opening the door, but you eventually did so.   
  
The room itself was as lavish as you had expected. You didn’t look around for long -- it didn’t seem important to -- but a few things did stick out to you. You could see an oak desk off to the side with scattered papers and a king-sized bed with a canopy and drapes alongside it. The sheets were black and smooth, partially covered by a blood red duvet.   
  
None of it looked as incredible, however, as the Cardinal did. He stood at the foot of the bed in his red suit. Had it just been washed and pressed? The wrinkles that had been there beforehand were gone. His eye makeup looked perfect, and his hair was slicked back. He looked ... fetching, to say the least.   
  
You shut the door behind you.   
  
“Hello!” he chirped. “Welcome, welcome. You’re looking rather overdressed.”   
  
You’re pretty sure that was meant to be a joke; you hoped it was, because you were laughing.   
  
“I was sort of told to wear these,” you replied, grinning. Oh, how you had missed teasing him. And he had just opened the door to it. “What, did you want me to walk around naked in the hallway? Strange kink you have there.”  
  
Copia’s cheeks turned a dark red. He stammered for a few moments and glanced around, unable to meet your gaze.   
  
“Er, uh ... well, no, not quite what I meant. Just -- well, uh ...”  
  
Same old Cardinal. You laughed, and much to your surprise, he chuckled along with you.   
  
“So,” you purred. You didn’t want to waste time shooting the breeze -- you had been craving this man for weeks. “We should probably start that ... intimate part of the ritual. Lustful sacraments, right?”   
  
“Oh. Uh. I. Yes.” Copia swallowed and tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Yes, we should.”   
  
You’d never felt this awkward in your life. Were you going to have to take the reins?   
  
Wait. Now that you thought about it, maybe that was the best idea. Considering how he acted, how you bossed him around, how receptive he was to it ... worst he could do was turn it around on you. And that would be something fun.   
  
You smirked coyly, slowly pulling off the robes. You were sure to make it a show. You shimmied your hips as you lifted the fabric above you, shivering when it brushed against you. Before long, the robes were a crumpled pile on the ground.   
  
Sure, there was a bit of worry for when you put yourself on display for him. What if he didn’t appreciate what he saw? Said worry, however, faded once you saw the absolutely awed expression on his face. He briefly covered his mouth and looked away, mumbling some nearly-incomprehensible Italian under his breath.   
  
“Look at me, Cardinal,” you purred. He did so immediately, and you took the opportunity to take a few steps forward, being sure to swing your hips as you walked. “I know you like what you see. You don’t have to be coy about it.”  
  
“I -- I --”  
  
“You liked what you saw back at the tour, too, didn’t you, Cardinal?”   
  
Yes, this felt right. This was much better. You put a hand on Copia’s chest and gently pushed him back onto the bed. He stumbled and fell on his back, eyes never leaving yours. His breathing had gotten rather shallow, and his cheeks had turned a beautiful shade of red to match his suit.   
  
So charming.   
  
You stood over him, smiling down at him as he frantically tried to look anywhere except your chest. He failed miraculously. He continued to try and put words together -- anything -- but came up short.   
  
“Answer me,” you demanded. “Right now.”  
  
“I did! I -- y-y-yes. Yes, I did. It was, uh, uhm ...”   
  
As much as you wanted him to trip over his words, you were already needing his cock in you. So, instead, you took the opportunity to lean over him, trailing a hand down his chest and teasing the edge of his black collared shirt underneath it.   
  
“I think I want this off.” Your smile twisted into a smirk as you pulled on his shirt, hauling him back up into a sitting position. He didn’t stop you. “Strip down. Make a show of it.”   
  
Lucifer’s sake, you could already see a tent in his too-tight pants. It was accentuated so beautifully; it took everything in your power to just not jump this man’s bones immediately. This was special, though. You wanted to remember it well, not to rush it. And you were pretty sure he felt the same way.   
  
This wasn’t just a resolution of tension. It was an initiation -- this rendezvous should be treated like it.  
  
Copia leaped up to his feet just as you took your place on the bed. You crossed one leg over the other, hiding your already dripping cunt. He hadn’t earned seeing that quite yet. The good Cardinal had to work for that little reward.   
  
It was clear that the poor man had no idea how to strip down in a sexual way. He hurriedly unbuttoned half of the buttons on his jacket before remembering that you wanted a show of it. Then, he went painfully slow. Copia glanced up at you now and again, clearly vying for approval, but you only raised an eyebrow when he did it a couple of times.   
  
“Keep going,” you encouraged.   
  
He shrugged off his jacket, letting it fall onto the ground. Next, he went for the pants. That was more straightforward, but he struggled -- and his little gasp when he brushed a hand up on his own erection made you bite your lip.   
  
Copia at least had the good sense to kick off his shoes before trying to wiggle those tight pants down his body.   
  
The pants were kicked off unceremoniously. Something told you that he was just glad to have those off. Now all he wore was the black undershirt, his gloves, and a pair of silk black boxers. His cock still tented, leaving your mouth watering, but you still managed to control yourself.  
  
“Doing well. Just a couple of things to go now,” you murmured.   
  
Copia let out a little whine -- a plea, a request for this to just be over. You shook your head, smiling all the while.   
  
“I stripped for you, so you strip for me. It’s only fair.” You could _see_ the resignation in Copia’s eyes, and a helpless little shrug that told you that you were right. He couldn’t fight that. He probably didn’t even want to.   
  
When he unbuttoned his undershirt, it was done with a bit more expertise. You watched Copia as he shimmied similar to how he did onstage, thrusting out his crotch towards you as he undid the first few buttons. Then, he reined it in, matching your smile with his own.   
  
“I can tell you’re enjoying this little show,” he said to you. “Quite invested in my performance, aren’t you?”   
  
Shit. When had you started leaning forward? Oh well; may as just own up to it. You genuinely laughed, catching Copia off guard. Then, you leaned back to where you were before.  
  
“Now, I thought you would just take the compliment for what it was, but if you want to be cheeky about it ...”  
  
“N-No! No, um -- um --”  
  
“Mistress works.”   
  
“No, Mistress!” Copia said hurriedly. You could sense the panic in his voice. He really was a submissive one, wasn’t he? He promptly canned the remarks and finished his little show. He even turned his back to you as he let the shirt fall. It crumpled on top of the jacket.   
  
You had to admit -- he looked damn good. You exhaled softly, unable to take your eyes off of him. Copia turned around; his fingers were at the hem of his boxers, and he was slowly, ever-so-teasingly, pulling them down.   
  
His fully erect cock sprang up into view. It twitched and throbbed, and if you weren’t mistaken, that was a bit of precum on the tip there. Was he already so turned on from this that he was that close? You would definitely have to drag this out, then.   
  
When Copia moved to take off the gloves, you panicked. Yes, it would’ve been hot if it was his teeth. But --   
  
“No. Keep those on. Socks off.”  
  
“O-Oh? Must I? I, uh, I mean -- I just like --”   
  
You arched your eyebrows in mock surprise. “Are you questioning me?”  
  
“No, Mistress!” Copia bowed his head in respect, then awkwardly hopped on a foot as he removed the opposite sock. A part of you was mystified at the way his cock bounced up and down with him, and the other part of you wanted to rub your temples at the absurd display. At least the socks were off.   
  
_‘Hell of a way to end a striptease,’_ you thought.  
  
Copia was now just as exposed as you were ... and he was quite the sight for sore eyes. You examined him, taking in each and every bit of his beautiful body. His slight tum, the hairy chest he had, how all of it framed him so perfectly --   
  
Right. No. Focus.   
  
“Perfect,” you whispered.   
  
“T-Thank you,” Copia mumbled in return. You saw him smile at your compliment, and your heart melted.   
  
You gestured him over with only a finger, and he responded to your silent call. Copia stepped over to you, but he wasn’t as bold as to lay a hand on you. You were the one to do that -- you scooted back on the bed, then wrapped your arms around his neck to pull him down. His yelp sounded so sweet to your ears.   
  
_“Mio dio --!”_  
  
He flopped on top of you, nearly taking the wind out of you, but that left you both laughing. You held him close to you, and he reciprocated. His touch was so warm and gentle -- it nearly caused you to melt into his arms.  
  
“This is rather familiar, isn’t it?” you asked. “I think we’ve been in this position before.”   
  
“Ah, uh, yes -- yes we have.” Copia giggled nervously. “Quite different circumstances, those, weren’t they -- I mean -- uh --”   
  
“They were.” You ran a hand through his hair, then smirked as you tangled your fingers in it and pulled. Copia groaned loudly -- loud enough to be heard -- and his cock twitched against your thigh. You leaned in to breathe hot air against his ear, nipping at the lobe.   
  
“I want a different position,” you whispered to him.   
  
Copia only responded with needy whines, rutting against you. You tightly gripped his hair again, gently yanking his head to the side. You tsk’d quietly, but good-naturedly.   
  
“I don’t think I said you could rut against me. You’re impatient, aren’t you?” You couldn’t blame him, though. Fuck, you hated having willpower. It would be so nice to just rut against each other naked like this, feeling his cock pressed against you and leaking precum all over you ...   
  
Well, there was one way you could do this. You braced yourself, shifted your hands, and then flipped him over on the bed. Copia cried out again, but you were too focused on making sure you didn’t slam his nose against anything to care.   
  
The moment his back was on the sheets and you were on top of him, you clamoured to trap him with your limbs. Your hands pinned his wrists, and the weight of your legs made it so that he couldn’t move a muscle without a real struggle. You watched, amused, as Copia began to realize what had just happened. He put up a token struggle, but that was all.   
  
Then, he stared at you so adoringly that you ached.   
  
“Well, uh, this is -- this is rather new, isn’t it?” he asked with a shy little laugh. “No one’s done this in a long time. Not, uh -- not since -- not since I became Cardinal.”   
  
“Well, lucky me. I get to see you as you really want to be.” You leaned down to let your breath tickle his neck. “Desperate, needy, and so damn horny -- while not being able to do a damn thing about it.”   
  
Copia’s whine was like music to you. He tried to arch his hips, but it didn’t do much good. You kept him pinned, teasingly rubbing your slit against his cock for brief moments. You wanted him aching for you as much as you were for him. Judging by his reactions to everything you were doing, you were doing a damn good job of it.   
  
“Now, how should I do this ...” you mused out loud. “It might be fun to command you and be a power bottom ...”   
  
You idly rubbed up against his cock as you talked, completely aware of every little whimper and pant that Copia made. It didn’t make you stop. On the contrary, it made you prolong the little bit of torment.   
  
“... but I think that I’ll just ride you.” It was an easy decision, really. Copia not being able to touch your tits as they bounced, him not being allowed to come until you do, watching him come undone under you ... the image was far, far too sweet to pass on.   
  
“Anything you want, Mistress,” Copia pleaded. “Just please -- please, let me -- let me --”  
  
“What, come?”  
  
Copia nodded meekly.   
  
“Not until I tell you to,” you responded with a cheeky little grin. “This is my consummation. I get to come first. Seems fair, right? Besides ...” You ground down on his cock, making Copia’s breath hitch. “We’re both having fun with this.”  
  
You repositioned yourself on top of Copia, gently taking his cock and rubbing the head against your dripping slit. You let out a shuddery little breath at the contact and let yourself get lost in it -- just for a moment.   
  
It felt so damn good to finally be able to do this; you had been craving this man’s dick from the second you got to see it up close. It was torture to see his erection and not be able to do anything about it, never mind being so close to something in the tour bus and being derailed there. Now, that cock was about to go in you, and you were in total control of the man who had it. The realization made you shiver.   
  
_‘Fuck ...’_   
  
Copia had braced himself. He clung to the sheets, digging his fingered gloves into them. His eyes were on your tits as you slowly pushed him inside of you. You balanced yourself by placing your hands on his chest, gently pulling on the hairs that were there. Your eyes were half-lidded and you couldn’t keep your breaths steady as he entered you.   
  
Fuck, fuck fuck _fuck_ \-- he felt so damned fucking good. The way he just slipped inside you really was a testament to how damn hot he got you. His little moans and gasps weren’t helping that much, either. It just made you want to go even faster. But, no -- you’d start slow.   
  
You watched him intently as you slowly lifted yourself back up. Copia’s eyes squeezed shut as he cried out again, and he arched up. You held him down and shook your head.   
  
“I don’t think so,” you purred. “I’m in control here, remember? I set the pace.”   
  
_“Merda,”_ he mumbled under his breath.   
  
“Just enjoy the ride. I know I am.”  
  
With that, you impaled yourself back onto his cock. You settled into a rhythm that you found comfortable, and took delight in every single time Copia entered you. You gripped his shoulders tighter than you thought you would have to, but it was just so hard to not go quickly. You needed him inside of you, you needed that cock fucking you, you needed -- you needed --   
  
“Fuck!” you cried out. You threw your head back and parted your lips, relishing in each and every sensation. Fuck, who knew not getting off for a week really did help with making this feel amazing. You would have to thank that Sister that gave you those orders later.   
  
“You feel so good,” Copia whined. “Please, please, let me -- let me --”  
  
“Not yet!” you called out. “Not yet, I’m --”  
  
You were already so close. This should be more embarrassing than it was, but it wasn’t a surprise. Every time you pushed him inside of you, that desire built and built and built -- it was insatiable. The more you did, the faster you rode him, the more you needed. And you weren’t going to ignore your primal needs.   
  
Copia’s gloved hands slipped up your thighs and rested on your hips, holding them tightly. Normally you would reprimand him for this, but him balancing you helped. Now you could just focus on his cock and not have to worry about falling off. Besides, you wouldn’t admit it to him, but feeling that leather on you got you that much closer.   
  
“Copia!” you cried. “Fuck, Copia!”   
  
“M-Mistress!” Copia hissed through his teeth. You couldn’t even process the restraint he was showing; you were too lost in your lust to really care.   
  
This felt ... different, somehow. The brink of orgasm was familiar to you, but there was something else to it -- a black tendril, a sort of bind. As soon as you felt it, the sensation was gone.   
  
Then, you saw stars.   
  
You hadn’t ever felt this divine before. You weren’t sure if others were privy to your screaming -- was that coming from you? -- but it felt so intense that you didn’t care. It was like a massive wave had landed and crashed over you, washing over all your senses and leaving you an absolute mess over Copia.   
  
He held you tightly throughout the whole thing with a smile on his face. There was a particular glint in his eye, one that didn’t quite become a sub. But awareness of that too passed as you collapsed on top of him, panting.   
  
You weren’t sure how long you laid there, but you didn’t want to move anytime soon. Copia was petting your hair. He was still rock hard inside of you, filling you up. And he was humming a soft melody to you, rubbing your back and caressing you so gently that you shivered.   
  
“Welcome to our church,” he whispered.   
  
“That -- that’s one hell of an initiation.” You laughed, nuzzling up close to him. You didn’t want to talk too much; you were still coasting on that afterglow. Copia, however, seemed to not be quite done yet -- not a surprise, really.   
  
His little whines as he thrust up into you almost made you wish you were up for a second round. But you indulged him and let him do this. He hadn’t come yet, and desperation looked so good on him. You smiled wickedly as he continued to thrust.   
  
“Do you want to come, Copia?”  
  
“P-Please, Mistress,” he whined. “Please, please ...”   
  
“Hmm ...” You toyed with his hair as you pretended to think about it. A slight tug on his hair was enough to make him gasp and to have his cock twitch from need. “... Sure. You’ve done well, Copia.”  
  
He babbled a stream of ‘thank yous’ that was nearly incomprehensible. You shifted to sit up, making it easier for him to do what he needed to do. You even indulged him a bit, riding him just enough so that your tits jiggled -- a bit of a show for the showman.  
  
It didn’t take long for you to feel his cock twitch and pulse inside of you. It took even less time after that for him to come. How long had he been restraining himself? You gasped as you felt his seed fill you; you stopped riding and clutched at him just to relish in the sensation of it all. It wouldn’t be long before some cum started to leak out and coat your thighs -- and quite frankly, that might be enough to make you ask the good Cardinal for a second round.  
  
Copia collapsed, nearly melting into the bed sheets. He gasped and panted, trembling underneath you. You moved to lift yourself off of him, but Copia grabbed you and held you right where you were. Not that you were complaining, though.   
  
You stroked his hair again, gently trailing a hand down his chest.   
  
“You know ...” You hesitated before continuing. “I could be all right with making this a regular thing.”  
  
Copia nodded dumbly, unable to speak. He did smile up at you, though, and it sent a thrill down your spine.  
  
So much so that you leaned down and, without thinking, kissed him hard on the lips. He returned the kiss eagerly, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you just a bit closer to him. You melted into his embrace.   
  
You definitely wanted to do this again, and apparently the Cardinal felt the same way.   
  
This was going to be a good life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a lot of fun to write! Thanks to Ryo for the request, I really enjoyed it!
> 
> I hope you all do too!


End file.
